


Remembering her comes in flashbacks and echoes

by puppybusby



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Depression, Detective Allison Argent, Detectives, F/F, Flashbacks, Murder Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Allison, Past Relationship(s), major death happens before fic, reference to canonical suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-12 17:49:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5675023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puppybusby/pseuds/puppybusby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“They always say your first love is important. I mean, of course they would, that's why they call it your first love right?” Allison asked, Derek opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off before he could say anything “But... This was different. She wasn't just my first love.”</p><p> </p><p>(Or: When a body linked to Beacon Hills' most infamous case is found, Allison and the people around her are forced to deal with their own demons as they race to solve the case and put it all to rest)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I still see it all in my head

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise!  
> I wrote angst. So not really a surprise... I'm also trying something different in terms of keeping the chapters below like 5K and not getting too carried away.  
> Fic and chapter title from "Red" (The Tyler Ward cover because that's basically to blame for this entire fic. Also Cold Case. That show was the shit and is also to blame for this.)
> 
> As always, flashback scenes are in italics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!  
> I wrote angst. So not really a surprise... I'm also trying something different in terms of keeping the chapters below like 5K and not getting too carried away.  
> Fic and chapter title from "Red" (The Tyler Ward cover because that's basically to blame for this entire fic. Also Cold Case. That show was the shit and is also to blame for this.)
> 
> As always, flashback scenes are in italics

 

_Allison smiled as she spotted Lydia's hair as the smaller girl wove through the crowd, clutching a red solo cup in each hand and smiling brightly._ __  
  
_The house was full of her classmates, the mood happy and electric as they celebrated winning the lacrosse tournament. Allison had no idea how Danny had convinced his parents to let him throw this party, only that she was glad he had. After everything that had happened over the past few weeks, God knows that they deserve this._ __  
  
_Lydia finally reached her, looking stunning in a burgundy blouse and a pale blue skirt, her hair falling in waves around her face._ __  
  
_"I was wondering where you'd gone." Allison said."I was about to send a search party."_ __  
  
_"Shut up." Lydia replied with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "It took forever to get to the drinks." She held out one of the cups. "Cherry soda."_ __  
  
_Allison took the cup and wrapped her free arm around Lydia's waist, she eyed Lydia's cup carefully. "Do I want to know?"_ __  
  
_"Stiles made it, it's just vodka and cranberry juice."_ __  
  
_"Sounds fun." Allison murmured into Lydia's hair, twisting them both so that Greenberg didn't crash into them both. "Where is he?"_ __  
  
_Lydia hummed thoughtfully, swaying them both to the music. "I think he's with Scott, they're trying to get Isaac to stay."_ __  
  
_"Can't blame him for wanting to leave, this place is so packed." Allison said, she was far from introverted but even she found it overwhelming. She could only imagine how it must be for Isaac._ __  
  
_"I don't think he wants to be here without Boyd and Erica." Lydia said quietly._ __  
  
_Oh._ __  
  
I _f it weren't for the fact that Allison had her cheek pressed to Lydia's, she wouldn't have heard it._ __  
  
_"We should go see them tomorrow." Lydia suggested._ __  
  
_Allison nodded her agreement, Erica needed all the friends she could get._ __  
  
_There was a flash of light to her right, Allison pulled her head away from Lydia's long enough to seek it out, spotting Matt taking pictures of the party._ __  
  
_He caught her gaze for a moment, smirking at her and snapping another picture of her and Lydia._ __  
  
_"It's a good thing we look hot." Lydia said, and Allison didn't need to look at her to know she was grinning._ __  
  
_"I was gonna say beautiful." Allison replied._ __  
  
_"That's because you're a dork."_ __  
  
_"True."_ __  
  
_"A dork who needs to leave soon, so she had better dance with me so that this party was actually worth coming to."_ __  
  
_Allison laughed and took Lydia's hand in her own, lifting it and twirling Lydia in a circle. "You love parties!"_ __  
  
_"I do. But I love them more when you're here, so, dance?"_ __  
  
_Allison finished her drink and set the empty cup down on the table beside her. "I'd love to."_ __  
  
_One dance turned to four, Allison got lost in the weight of Lydia pressed against her and the smell of her perfume, honeysuckle, lavender and something that was just Lydia. The students around them didn't matter, it was just the two of them and Allison wouldn't have it any other way._ __  
  
_Lydia looked up at her, eyes bright and happy and Allison made no attempt to stop herself from leaning down to kiss her._  
  


  
  
Allison woke up to a dark room, illuminated only slightly by the red numbers of her alarm clock. She rolled her head to the side, 4:59. Great.  
  
She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes as the minute passed and her alarm began to ring. Allison reached over to shut it off and knocked over the orange pill bottle, she let out an irritated huff and threw them into her open drawer and got out of bed.  
  
Allison went through the motions of her morning. She ran to the gym and stayed there for as long as she could before running back home to shower and change into her work clothes and grab her gun and badge from the counter.

  
  
  
By the time Derek walked into the station, Allison had already been at her desk for over half an hour, sipping at her second coffee of the morning.  
  
He set a box of pastries down on the corner of her desk as he passed and took his seat at his own desk directly in front of her own, switching on his computer before lifting his head to meet her gaze.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"Pastries? Really?"  
  
"You like bear claws, Scott and Stiles eat anything." He shrugged, leaning out of her sight to put his gun into his drawer. The unspoken _"This way I know you're eating."_ is loud and clear.  
  
He's only known her for five years which is nothing compared to how long she's known Scott and Stiles but he's her partner and in all honestly, her most trusted friend.  
  
But he also has a habit of treating her like a broken bird.  
  
Still, he did it in a subtle way. A perk of him not being in Beacon Hills when she was a teenager.  
  
Allison flipped open the box and grabbed one of the two bear claws and bit into it, she saw Derek's eyebrows rise slightly. He was pleased.  
  
  
  
Allison worked slowly through her reports, falling into a rhythm. She nodded at the sheriff as he got into the station and tried to ignore the look he flashed her way. He'd long since tried to stop her from working as many hours as she did, she was good at her job and it kept her mind occupied. It was a win win.  
  
  
It continued that way until the phone on Derek's desk rang. Allison glanced over at him from where she was refilling her mug with coffee. His expression grew considerably more serious as he spoke. She walked back over to their shared desks and set her mug down just as he hung up the phone.  
  
"What is it?" Allison asked.  
  
Derek stared at the phone for a few moments. "The builders, at..." He sighed and looked up at Allison.  
  
She nodded, it had taken years but the city had finally approved the claim to demolish the Hale home. Derek still couldn't talk about it.  
  
Derek sighed again, gaze hardening. "They found remains. Forensics are on their way to the scene now."  
  
Allison opened her draw and grabbed her gun, holstering it, a strange tension wrapping around her heart and a chill settling in her stomach. The possibility of a body is huge, it can't be one of Derek's family members, she knows all of the victims of that fire had been accounted for.  
  
Derek had put his jacket on. "You ready?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll call Scott and Stiles on the way."  
  
  
  
  
_"Allison, do I look like I'm dressed to be walking through this place?"_ __  
  
_Allison laughed and turned to face her and okay, she had a point. Lydia looked like some kind of runway model lost in the woods with her wedge heels and and long coat with a fur collar._ __  
  
_"Good point, but you look great."_ __  
  
_Lydia planted her hands on her hips and pouted. "Well obviously. But why are we here again?"_ __  
  
_Allison walked over to her and took one of Lydia's gloved hands in her own and tugged gently, taking a step backwards._ __  
  
_"I just thought that this place looked really pretty in the fall and I wanted to explore it with you?"_ __  
  
_Lydia raised an eyebrow. "You don't sound sure of that."_ __  
  
_"Well only if you want to, if you want to go back we can go get coffee or something?"_ __  
  
_Lydia smiled. "Well now that we're here we may as well make the most of it." She replied, linking both of their hands together and turning to ease Allison up against the closest tree. "And besides, you look really, really good against this backdrop."_ __  
  
_"So do you." Allison replied, smiling as Lydia pinned her hands above her head. Lydia looks otherworldly, like some kind of forest spirit._ __  
  
_Lydia hummed. "We're still getting coffee after this."_ __  
  
_Allison leant down to kiss her. "Naturally."_ __  
  
_"And you can buy me a bear claw."_ __  
  
_Allison made a face. "I'll never understand your love for them."_ __  
  
_"Shut up they're delicious."_ __  
  
_Allison smiled and kissed her. "They make your kisses taste delicious."_  
  


  
  
Allison watched the trees pass as Derek drives them down the beaten pathway. They were silent and from the corner of her eye she could see Derek gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white.  
  
When the house came into view, Allison instantly found herself sitting up a little straighter, mentally preparing herself for what they're about to see. They could see the building equipment and the men and women working for the company stood off to one side. She could see the forensic team off to the side of the house behind a taped off area.  
  
Derek switched off the engine. And for a moment they just watched the scene in front of them.  
  
"Are you okay?" Allison asked, the words felt weird coming from her mouth but seemed appropriate considering the situation.  
  
"Fine." Derek replied and got out of the car.  
  
Allison followed him and shoved her hands into her pockets as she followed him towards the builder who had spotted them.  
  
"Detective Hale and Argent." Derek greeted. "You the one who called?"  
  
The man nodded. "Brian."  
  
"Can you tell us what happened?" Allison asked. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Stiles' car pull up beside Derek's and him and Scott both stepped out.  
  
Brian looked shaky and nodded again. Allison glanced over to where the forensic team were gathered around a hole in the ground, she could see bones being laid out onto a blue tarp. She was distantly aware of Brian talking but it quickly faded into static as she saw something wrapped up lifted out of the ground.  
  
"Allison?" Derek asked.  
  
She pushed past him and began to walk towards the team. She heard Scott and Stiles join them and she could feel them all following her as the lead scientist of the team cut her off. She didn't look at him as he began to talk.  
  
"The remains are human." He confirmed. "Adolescent female. It'll take some time to confirm how old they-"  
  
"Sixteen years." Allison cut him off.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Allison?" Scott called gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What is it?"  
  
She gestured towards the tarp, the jacket encased ribcage, feeling tears begin to form. "That's my jacket."  
  
"Allison..."  
  
She shook her her head, shrugging his hand from her shoulder as she took a deep breath before she said;

"It's Lydia."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That wasn't a really surprising twist was it? But i can promise you lots of allydia moments in terms of flashbacks, the chapters will also get a bit longer and... darker as things get revealed, make sure you read the tags before each chapter okay?


	2. We hide our emotions under the surface

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from "Oceans" By Seafret
> 
> Note about trigger warnings, I'll update the tags when a trigger will come up and I'll be more specific about where they are within each chapter. Please make sure you read them? I want everyone safe.
> 
> TW: When discussing the remains found, it's questioned if sexual assault was included (if you want to skip reading that scene, it starts at "dental records" and ends at "we should inform next of kin")

 

Allison felt frozen to the spot, Scott was at her side and a horrified silence fell on the scene. There wasn't a person in Beacon Hills who didn't know who Lydia was. Who wasn't familiar with the case.  
  
She could feel Scott, Stiles and Derek around her, watching her, waiting to see her reaction.  
  
Just breathe. She couldn't react, they'd send her away.  
  
"Has there been a cause of death?" Allison asked.  
  
"Allison..." Scott began. Allison closed her eyes for a moment before she turned to him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You don't have to do this."  
  
"With all due respect Scott," Derek spoke up. "The body hasn't been formally identified."  
  
She knows he's trying to help her out, but she feels a stab between her ribs, an unexplainable apprehension for the unknown. It's reminiscent of the first time she saw a body, her palms are beginning to sweat just like they had been right before she had pushed open the door.  
  
But this was different, this wasn't blood splattered walls and ruined bedsheets. This was a hole in the ground and a cheap, electric blue tarp scattered with dirt and bones and a leather jacket.  
  
It was Lydia. Allison couldn't stop the train of thought in the back of her mind that kept repeating Lydia's name, forcing images of her into Allison's thoughts. There may not have been official confirmation but she knew it was Lydia. The jacket on the tarp had been Allison's, she had given it to Lydia the night of the lacrosse game, the night of the party, the last time anyone had seen her.  
  
Allison pushed everything down and directed her attention to the forensics guy, Ethan, she'd been introduced to him by his twin brother Aiden when he'd moved to Beacon Hills a few years ago.  
  
"Can we see? Have you established cause of death?"  
  
He glanced past Allison, no doubt towards Stiles and nodded, gesturing for them all to follow. His team made space for them and continued to take pictures of the scene and removing bones from the hole beside the tarp.  
  
"You sure you're okay?" Stiles murmured, falling into step beside her.  
  
"I'm fine." she replied.  
  
She focused on Ethan as he crouched down beside the skull. Allison busied herself with pulling on a pair of latex gloves. He gestured with his finger to a hole on the left side of the skull.  
  
"Blunt force trauma."  
  
It was too easy for her mind to place Lydia's face over the skull, too easy to imagine the injury that killed her.  
  
Allison shook her head free of the image."How long until you have everything you need?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Allison." Stiles called, she turned to look over at him, gaze dropping down to the phone in his hand. "The sheriff needs to see you."  
  
Allison clenched her fists at her sides. Of course he'd call his dad.  
  
Stiles must see the anger in her eyes as he backed up slightly.  
  
"I'll drive you." Derek offered.  
  
"I can drive myself." Allison snapped. Derek knew better than to argue, he just handed over the keys to his car without saying a word.  
  
"We'll stay here until everything is ready to be taken back to the lab." Scott said.  
  
Allison tore off her gloves and shoved them into Stiles' hands as she passed. She wasn't surprised that this had happened. The second she had said Lydia's name, she had jeopardised her role in the entire case.  
  
Fuck that.  
  
That was Lydia, she knew it was. That was the girl she loved and somebody had done that to her. Somebody had buried her and left her there for sixteen years. It wasn't just a _case._  
  
This was about finding the bastard who killed her girlfriend.  
  
  
  


 

  
She didn't think she was imagining all the sets of eyes on her as she walked past her desk towards the sheriffs office.  
  
Allison hesitated just outside the door before eventually deciding on a stiff knock.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Allison pushed the door open and stepped into the office, the sheriff lifted his head, expression growing serious immediately.  
  
"Close the door."  
  
Allison did so and walked towards his desk.  
  
"Take a seat."  
  
"I'm good, thanks."  
  
The sheriff folded his hands together and let them rest on his desk, regarding her carefully. Allison kept her hands in her pant pockets, lifting her chin and staring down at him.  
  
"Do you think it's her?" He asked.  
  
"Adolescent female wearing a jacket that strongly resembles the one I gave to her that night? It's Lydia." Allison replied as coolly as she could. "I didn't get to stay for long enough to see if the rest of the clothing matched considering I got called away."  
  
"Allison."  
  
And it's there, she can hear the weight in his voice and in that moment Allison can see how tired he is. It's in moments like this where Allison is forced to remember that she wasn't the only one affected by Lydia's disappearance.  
  
She's just more forefront about wearing her pain on her sleeve. The scars out in the open and exposed for everyone to see.  
  
"If it is her..." Allison began steadily, her voice dropping dangerously low. "You're not taking me off the case."  
  
The sheriff sighed and leant back in his seat, tilting his head to the side as he looked up at Allison. "I know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Allison, you and I both know that if I take you off of this case you're just going to go behind my back."  
  
Allison didn't bother to try and deny it. She had spent the entire drive back to the station thinking of every favour that was owed her and how to call on them.  
  
"If it is her, you'll stay on the case. Where I can see you and where you'll have the support of your partner and fellow detectives." The sheriff continued.  
  
"Thank you." Allison murmured, eyes cast downwards.  
  
"I know how important this is to you. But it's important to us all. This needs to be done by the book. I don't want to have to arrest you for going behind our back." He waited for Allison to nod before continuing. "And I want you to talk to us, you have to trust us and let us have your back."  
  
Allison nodded again. "I will." She reached up to scratch the back of her neck. "But sir, with all due respect... What will you tell the reporters?"

“Considering your... Past and your record, there will be stories and speculation considering your involvement, much like when she first went missing. However, there aren't enough people in this station who didn't know Lydia. Even though you two were involved, you know to be professional and you have never been considered a suspect in the case. Don't worry about the reporters, Allison. Worry about the things that matter."  
  
Like if the remains they found were actually Lydia.  
  
Like actually finding out what happened.  
  
Allison's phone chimed with a message and she looked towards the sheriff for his approval before she pulled it from her belt, thumb sliding across the screen and opening Derek's message. She scanned over it quickly and let out a slow breath.  
  
"They're back, the remains are downstairs." She slipped her phone away. "They're running tests now."  
  
"Have Stiles call me when ID has been made."  
  
Allison nodded and made her way towards the door.  
  
"Allison."  
  
She paused with her hand on the handle. "Yes sheriff?"  
  
"Do you want it to be her?"  
  
"Yes." Allison replied, and then she shook her head and sighed "and no."  
  
She didn't need to explain, she could see the understanding in his eyes as he nodded. "Me too."  
  
  


  
  
Allison sat at her desk, chin resting in one hand as she spun a pen between the fingertips of her other hand. A few floors down, the remains were no doubt on a table in the morgue as the lab guys ran tests.  
  
Derek sat in his desk, to her right sat Scott and Stiles. It was clear that none of them knew what to say.  
  
She knew the tests had the highest priority but they couldn't be rushed, rushing led to making mistakes and they couldn't afford to make.  
  
After a moment of consideration, Allison pushed off of the ground and held onto the arms of her chair as it wheeled across towards Scott and Stiles.  
  
"Is it her?" She asked.  
  
Stiles hesitated for a few seconds, gaze flickering across towards Scott. "You know we don't know." He replied. "We haven't heard back from the lab yet."  
  
"I saw the jacket. You were there longer than I was."  
  
"The clothes were pretty badly degraded, you know how it is... Mud and-"  
  
"Stiles!" Allison cut him off sharply, bringing her hand down on the edge of his desk and startling him. She saw Derek turn his seat more towards them from the corner of her eye.  
  
"It... Looked like a skirt and a blouse, one heel."  
  
Allison nodded slowly, urging him on.  
  
Stiles sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know I hate to guess, but... with the evidence we have, it leans heavily towards it being her."  
  
"That's all I wanted to know." Allison replied.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Stiles asked.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"If it is her."  
  
"Work the case?" Allison replied.  
  
"Is that allowed?" Scott spoke up. "Because..."  
  
"The sheriff gave me the okay." Allison said, she pushed on Stiles' desk to roll back over to her own. "If either of you have a problem you can take it up with him."  
  
"It just seems a little unprofessional..." Stiles shrugged.  
  
Before Allison could snap out a response, Derek's hand closed on her shoulder.  
  
"Let's go get coffee."  
  
Not a suggestion, Allison nodded and stood up. "You guys want anything?"

  
  
  


  
Penthos was the coffee shop across the street from the station, it had opened the while Allison had been at college and had become one of her regular haunts when she had moved back.  
  
It wasn't her favourite place but even after all this time, she still couldn't bring herself to go back to Bo's in the centre of town.  
  
Still, it was nice. Decently sized, good coffee, good workers and located next to a station. It ticked all the boxes.  
  
Derek leans against the table beside her as they wait for their drinks. The atmosphere couldn't be further from how it feels within the confines of the station. It's a good distraction.  
  
"I'm only going to ask you this question once." Derek started suddenly "can you handle this?"  
  
Allison turned her head to face him, they were silent as they stared each other down. Derek was looking for a crack.  
  
"Yes." She replied after a beat. It was hard to make it believable to her own ears, let alone Derek's.  
  
"Fine." Derek nodded.  
  
"Order for Allison?" The barista called.  
  
Allison reached out to slap her hand against Derek's chest and walked towards the counter. The barista smiled brightly at her and set the tray of drinks down.  
  
"Thanks Kira." Allison said, leaning over to stuff ten dollars into the tip jar.  
  
"Any time." Kira smiled. "Busy day?"  
  
"It might honestly be one of the worst days of my life." Allison replied with an ease she didn't think herself capable of. She didn't feel connected, distant and floating. This was easier, she could get through it all if she felt like this.  
  
Kira's face fell, eyes full of sympathy. "I'm sorry."  
  
Allison shrugged. "It's okay."  
  
Kira got a look in her eye that Allison could only interpret as 'I really want to hug you.'  
  
Allison was thankful for the counter between them.  
  
Allison rubbed the back of her neck and grabbed the tray with the other. "Have a good day Kira."  
  
"You too, stay safe out there."  
  
Allison nodded, she thinks she might smile as she turns away and makes her way towards Derek, who took his coffee from the tray silently.  
  
  
  


  
Allison deposits the tray onto Stiles' desk and heads towards the bathroom, she can feel a tingle in her fingertips and a static in her ears.  
  
She closes the door behind her and grips the sink, dropping her head and taking a deep breath.  
  
One minute she's dissociating as she gets coffee, the next she's having a panic attack in the bathroom. It's worse than high school.  
  
  
_"Fuck, fuck." Allison closed her eyes so that she couldn't see the tears streaming down her cheeks. Her stupid, pathetic reflection watching her breakdown. "Pull yourself together." She hissed to herself. "You're an Argent."_ _  
  
__It's the third time in two days, she didn't even bother to ask permission to leave this time. As soon as she felt her chest begin to tighten and the numbness in her fingers Allison had fled the classroom, she's pretty sure she almost threw a desk over on her way out._ _  
  
__She wasn't even sure what had started it this time. She couldn't think about a possible trigger, she couldn't make this any worse than it already was._ _  
  
__"Stop crying." Allison said. "Stop it."_ _  
  
__The bathroom door opened and Allison could only hang her head. Her body was frozen, hands aching with how tightly she was gripping the counter. She wanted to disappear, to be invisible. For whoever had just opened the door to just leave her._ _  
  
__"Alli?"_ _  
  
__The voice was soft and warm, it wrapped around her like velvet._ _  
  
__"Allison, it's okay. I need you to take a deep breath and hold it." Allison did as she was told, she could hear tear drops hit the counter. "Okay, good. Good. Now let the breath out through your nose, slowly."_ _  
  
__Allison did as she was told. She let the voice coach her through it all until she felt her muscles loosen and grip on the counter ease._ _  
  
__It took another few minutes for Allison to work up the energy to open her eyes, to lift her head enough to look at her reflection in the mirror. The red rimmed eyes and tear streaked cheeks._ _  
  
__Just over her shoulder stood Lydia, concern etched into every feature of her face, she was close enough that Allison could convince herself that she could feel the heat from her body against her back._ _  
  
__Allison let go of the counter and took a step back._ _  
  
__"Are you okay?" Lydia asked softly._ _  
  
__Allison shook her head and pressed her palms against her eyes. "No."_ _  
  
__"Do you want a hug? Can I hug you?"_ _  
  
__Allison nodded. "Yes. Please."_ _  
  
__Lydia's arms wrapped around her waist and Allison leant back to rest her back against Lydia's chest._ _  
  
__"I feel so weak." Allison admitted, she saw Lydia hook her chin over Allison's shoulder and meet her gaze in the mirror._ _  
  
__"You're not weak." Lydia replied. "You've been through so much."_ _  
  
__Allison couldn't look at herself any more. She turned in Lydia's arms and leant back against the sinks and Jesus, Lydia looks flawless. How can Allison exist next to her?_ _  
  
__"Don't do that." Lydia sighed._ _  
  
__"Do what?" Allison asked._ _  
  
__"You're beautiful Allison. You're beautiful and you're brave and strong and you're going to be okay."_ _  
  
__Allison leant forward to press her forehead to Lydia's shoulder, breathing in her perfume. Lydia rubbed her back slowly._ _  
  
__"Why did she do it Lydia?" Allison asked, her voice muffled by Lydia's shirt._ _  
  
__"I don't know Alli. I really don't."_ _  
  
__"Can we stay here for a while?"_ _  
  
__"Until you're ready Alli. Take your time."_

  
  
There was a knock at the door and Allison's head shot up, meeting her own gaze in the mirror and she feels the exact same feelings come rushing to the surface. The same weakness and uselessness, she's past thirty and yet to look in the mirror all she sees is vulnerability.  
  
"I'll be out in a minute." She called.  
  
"The results are ready." Derek replied through the door. "We're needed downstairs."  
  
Allison nodded to herself. "I'll be right down."  
  
She waited until she heard his footsteps fade away and took a step back.  
  
She could do this.  
  
  
  
  
"Lydia Martin, seventeen years old, cause of death: blunt force trauma to the head."  
  
She'd known, there'd been so little doubt in her mind, everyone else knew that it was her and they were just waiting for the lab to confirm it before they moved on it.   
  
Still... She'd expected more. Some big build-up to the reveal.  
  
But it wasn't like that, in fourteen words it had been confirmed that the girl she loved, the girl she wanted to spend the rest of her life with was dead.  
  
And now she had to carry on as though it wasn't tearing her to pieces.  
  
"We matched dental records." Ethan continued. "Traces of blood found on the jacket and blouse."  
  
"What about other body fluids?" Allison asked.  
  
"All blood is of the same type, no traces of seminal fluid."  
  
"No sign of sexual assault?" Derek asked.  
  
"None."  
  
Allison nodded, if that had been the case she knows that had the opportunity arose she wouldn't let whoever did this live.  
  
"It's possible that may have been the initial motivation." Allison spoke up, folding her arms over her chest. "Lydia... She would have fought back. She knew how to fight." She closed her eyes for a beat. "I taught her."  
  
She could feel guilt beginning to form, she shook its way quickly.  
  
"We should inform next of kin." Derek said.  
  
"No one to inform." Allison replied. "Father died when she was fifteen, Natalie passed away five years ago."  
  
A sombre silence passed through the room and Allison finally forced herself to look over at the table where her remains lay.  
  
"What now?" Scott asked.  
  
"We pull the original files, go over the case and go from there..." Stiles shrugged.  
  
"Where's the necklace?" Allison asked.  
  
Ethan blinked. “What necklace?”  
  
“What neck... The one she'd been wearing that night!” Allison replied.

“We didn't find a necklace.” Ethan said, he held a hand up. “But if you can provide a description or a picture I’ll have the team keep an eye out as they keep working at the scene.”

“Allison,” Stiles said softly. “You have to be prepared for the possibility that whoever did this has the necklace.”  
  
“Good. Find the necklace, find the bastard who did this.” She sighed and forced her shoulders to relax as she met Ethan's gaze again. “Thank you. Keep us updated?”  
  
“Of course.”

 

 

 

Allison watched as Scott deposited the box onto his desk, dust still clinging to the shoulders of his jacket from his time down in the filing room.

Inside the box contained everything to do with Lydia's case, every interview, every lead. It was frustratingly lacking in information. Allison already knew as much.  
  
The sheriff had allowed her access to the case exactly twice. Once when she had officially joined the station, and again when she made detective. The entire case had been built on the statements of fellow students. Every suspect had alibis, Allison can still feel the familiar burn of frustration from the memories of that time.

Allison made her way over to Scott as he lifted the lid off of the box. At the same moment, Stiles came into view, carefully wheeling the appropriately named 'murder board' towards their desks (it was a glass board that had apparently been at the station as long as the sheriff had, nobody could bring themselves to suggest a replacement)

“Talk me through your plan of action.” The sheriff spoke up suddenly, startling all of them into spinning around to where he was standing by his office.

Scott cleared his throat and stepped to the side so that the sheriff could see the box containing the files. “We're going to review the original case, read over statements and see if there's anything the original investigators missed.”  
  
“From there I guess we'll track down everyone and interview them again.” Derek joined in. “See if everything matches up.”  
  
“Or if someone's story changes.” Allison said, glancing over at Derek. “Time changes people, loyalties are different.” She's counting on that.

“And how do you plan on conducting the interview process?” The sheriff asked, taking a few steps closer to the group. “Off the top of my head I can already think of at least half a dozen students from your year who no longer live in this state.”  
  
Stiles moved to drop down into his seat, grabbing a dry-erase marker from his desk. “We'll figure out a list of priorities. It's also our high school reunion this week so a lot more people will be in town.”  
  
Allison nodded at him, it had come at good time. Even if she hadn't planned on going just like she hadn't gone any year prior to this.

The sheriff nodded, apparently satisfied with their plan. “Okay, but before this can go any further...” He turned to Derek. “I need for you to read Allison, Scott and Stiles' original interviews and question them again.”  
  
“Dad, what the fuck!” Stiles exclaimed.

They had a rule, if Stiles was on shift, he wasn't allowed to call the sheriff that. They had to be professional, no matter what. That was how Allison knew that Stiles was genuinely outraged by the idea, he wouldn't have slipped up otherwise.  
  
“Stiles, I have a job to protect my detectives. All three of you were connected to Lydia at the time of her disappearance, you're all in the original case file. When news breaks that we found Lydia, all of you are going to be the focus of this and there will be questions about your involvement in her death, just like before.”  
  
Allison saw Stiles look at her from the corner of her eye, even though her alibi had been airtight, there had still been a short time when she had been considered to be involved somehow. It had hurt, that people who had seen her love for Lydia and yet were somehow able to twist it into something angry and violent.

“It's protocol Stiles.” Scott shrugged. “It'll benefit us all to go over our own memories of that night.”  
  
“I do need all of your insights, I wasn't even in the state when this happened.” Derek said.

“Allison?” The sheriff prompted.

“We're all here to do a job.” Allison replied. “We already know none of us did it, if this gets the reporters off our back so we can focus on what matters then I'm in.”  
  
“So it's settled.” The sheriff said. “When you're ready Derek.”  
  
“Yes Sir.” Derek nodded. He walked over to Allison and Scott to take Lydia's files. “Allison, I'm going to interview you first okay?”

“Yeah... Sure.”

 


End file.
